If there were an award for America's greenest city, San Francisco would certainly be a front runner. Mayor Gavin Newsom and civic leaders have announced a number of significant environmental initiatives this year:

• outlawing plastic shopping bags
• eliminating bottled water from restaurant menus
• converting its entire fleet of diesel vehicles — from ambulances to street sweepers — to biodiesel
• offering companies and residents government-funded loans and rebates to offset the costs of installing solar panels

And, just this past week, Newsom's office announced the creation of the San Francisco Carbon Fund — a first-ever, city-based carbon offset program that funds only local green activities.

According to the the press release:

Our carbon offset program will achieve meaningful, measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. It is the first effort of its kind, where you can buy carbon offsets for projects that take place in San Francisco, that directly benefit San Francisco. (Mayor Newsom)

By developing our own program and funding local projects, we have the ability to assure that the offsets actually happen, benefit the local community, and help achieve our aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals. (Jared Blumenfeld, director of San Francisco’s Environment Department)

The San Francisco Carbon Fund will begin as a pilot program to offset emissions from municipal air travel, and will be expanded to San Francisco residents, businesses and visitors once the program infrastructure has been established. The fund will also provide City government, residents and businesses information regarding the true costs of carbon intensive activities, which are likely to be much higher than nominal amounts charged by several current offset programs.

When it comes to upping the ante, San Francisco has been reliable all year long.

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